Saturday, September 13, 2014

This is Marziya Shakir my first grand child , I shot over 15000 images of her from the second day of her birth , many are private ,I think I kept my love for photography alive by training my lens on Marziya .

I tried to miss nothing Marziyas love for drawing art and craft , her love for animals her love for life her compassion for beggars and slum kids ,,

Much of her pocket money she gave to a homeless lady called Umbrella Lady of Bandra Reclamation who passed away unsung recently,

Marziya is now year old.. and has come a long way .

Aviary is stll not saving my edited version of the colored image so I am manually saving it as PNG File and posting the same as a new upload .

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

But we are in Moharam time and in mourning so we celebrated her birthday on 7 October .
It was a very simple birthday part with a few of Marziyas childhood friends her best friend Mehrin Mukadam was at her grandmother house and Marziya missed her the most.

Zinnia Fatima was missing she has left for her mothers hometown for a holiday.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Lucky and Marziya have literally grown up together , he was a pup belonging to Omkar Shelar son of Advocate Ashish Shelar.

Marziya bossed over him from a very early age , and amazingly Lucky was so well behaved that he never jumped or barked , when Marziya came back from holidays he would eagerly wait for her and Marziya gave him her share of biscuits .

As Marziya grew he watched her from far , and these are photos I documented of their friendship..and Lucky is still around . six years from the first time I shot him with Marziya .

So animals have a very special bonding with kids ,,and in another part of a world away thousands of miles away from Marziya and Lucky in Ann Arbor was Jeff Lamb eminent photographer and his dog Sonny ,, who would favorite Marziyas and Luckys pictures ,and this was another form of Love , a mystical love today Jeff is no more alive but his love for my grand daughter has given a tremendous ethereal strength I have tears in my eyes as I wrrite these words and really this post is dedicated to Jeff andLeyla Lau-Lamb.

They say Faith moves Mountains I think only Love can move Faith from one continent to another ,, Miss You Mate ,, Take Care

Monday, June 2, 2014

She was my first grandkid , first child of my first child my eldest son Asif and the first child in my family after the birth of my daughter Samiya .

So you can imagine the feelings of being a first time grandfather . Some have to wait a long time to be touched by this stage of second chance at parenting..

And from the second day of Marziyas birth 24 November 2008 , I reached t Holy Family Hospital charged with my camera and after setting my eyes on her I began shooting her non stop..I thought she recognized the camera more than me ,, staring at it with her vivid curiosity .

Unseen by anyone I hurriedly blessed her with my camera ..at that time I was not sure she too would be shooting the streets like me ,,,so the first time seeing her grand father was actually her first tryst with the camera ..

Once she came hope I was delirious and as I wanted to capture every nuance of her birth I went on shooting her , it was madness personified , and Flickr became her lifes album.. it still is.

Marziya had the craziest childhood , I took her around once she grew up a bit , introduced her to the animal farm that is Bandra Bazar Road , goats cats dogs ..

I took her to the traffic signals introduced her to the beggar urchins , and defiantly took her to Mahim when she was a year old to meet my best friend Appu a limbless beggar without hands or legs , I got a great firing for my wife .

And so Marziya became my only companion I shared my thoughts my dreams .

It was at that time when she was born she was blessed by my friend Dr Glenn Losack he gifted her the Nikon D80..

So Marziyas life was centered around the camera , she shot beggars , transgender ,filmstars , and the fisherwomen at the Bandra Fish Market .

She shot the beggars , and they all loved her as she made sure I gave them something , on her birthday the first thing was to take her down as she gave food toys to the beggar kids .

So this picture bought a flood of memories , I became a grandfather for two more in intercession Nerjis Asif Shakir her sister who will be 3 year old on 17 July , and my younger son Saifs daughter Zinnia Fatima about 2 ..both of them use the Canon 60D .without fear of man or God .

Marziya shoots on the heavier Canon 7D too.

All three are on summer vacation leaving this old man with pictures in the mind ..and on Flickr to refresh the soul of my memories.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Marziys Shakir my 5 year olfd grand daughter shot the Muslim beggar mother and her child on the Canon 60 D not to be left behind her sister Nerjis Asif Shakir
records all this in her mind .. and now she too shoots beggars of Bandra Bazar Road.

And today 6 June is International Childrens day what greater tribute than this .

Three sets of eyes each narrating a diverse story ,and a pair of young eyes that shot this as a street shot ..

I stood by and did not direct this single shot street film ..or poetry of life.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

I told Marziya Shakir to shoot him , and what did she see , she saw what all of us have no time to see she saw a larger picture a vast canvas ,, she saw an old man product of Muslim society , a war veteran of life who lay injured bruised on the street side , waiting to be seen by someone..

He is a beggar and a few coins wont even give him a decent lunch.. and I wish the Congress motormouths had seen all this ..but beyond their glorified cjamchas and sycophants they see nothing they did not even see defeat lurking nearby ,, and now they are not even left with toffess in their hands .

This is the dark side of Bandra where I live , the filthiest dirtiest area and mind you ministers of the Congress dont live here it is their extended vote bank ,.. further from where I stay are the larger vote banks of rad the names Rajeev Nagar Indiraji Nagar and the eponymous Nargis Dutt Nagar .. Nargis Dutt was Mother India mother of Sanjay Dutt Namrata and Priya Dutt our ex MP..a very clean honest sincere person let down by her own part coterie ..
I stitched her father Mr Sunil Dutt saab suits .. once upon a time ..before he passed away leaving his legacy his love bequeathing his political responsibility to Priya Dutt ..and she just blew it in the Winds .
The voter Madam is no more dumb his pain is wide awake you never realized it .

I wish you well through a picture shot by a child ..see his eyes deep inside is the fear of living not death.. you guys lost touch with humanity and poetic justice .

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

She was merely two days old when I lay eyes on her at Holy Family Hospital Bandra , the first day we could not see her ,and I began shooting her pictures , taking in her beauty her gift of life .When she came home from the hospital I could not stop shooting her , and she gazed at the camera ,soon she began touching the camera as she grew , from toddler , to her first step.

I took her around Bandra , carrying her on my waist I shot political rallies , Sufi processions , and I could not take her far but I did take her to Mahim stealthily , to meet my beggar friend Appu, he has no legs no hands , and she saw life ,, the stump of life ,,,

I gave the camera in her hands , when she was 18 month old , made her shoot the Ganpati Pandals , made her shoot Durga , and took her to the various Durgtsavs , for almost two years , making her stand on a chair and shoot Hope and Hindutva ,, message of peace Hope Humanity as I saw it with my eyes .

I took her to the Parsi Fire Temple Tata Agiary Bandra and late Mr Vazifdar the High Priest ..was very kind to her .. she still asks for him..

I took her to St Peters Church made her shoot the interiors , St Andrew Church , Mount Mary , and than when photographers friends Glenn Losack Marc De Clercq , Kim Viola , Jean Marc Gargantiel and s many others came home she had a brush with fame shooting them.

I made her shoot Moharam, Shia kids scourging on the streets of Bandra ,and as she began using the camera independently she shot Mr Rajesh Khanna , and was his favorite child , she met Salman Khan at his house and her tryst with photography continued , shooting beggars , the demarginalized , the beggars loved her ..

She shot St Stanislaus Republic day functions , was friendly with dogs cats goats of our area , and Marziyas storyboard is a set on Flickr .. and Blogspot.,,I made her net savvy Twitter Facebook.. that I used for her on proxy.

But once her sister Nerjis Asif Shakir was born she stepped aside and let me train Nerjis with the camera ..Marziya is now 6 and a half year old , more studious , more private , and she can shoot pictures ,, I put her on to Auarium fishes , but than Nerjis usurped her tanks and all the 11 Flowerhorns ,, at home , including the Java finches .

I mostly take Nerjis out on the streets as Nerjis is fast , and cordial pays the beggars she shoots and even the kids in the slums.

The Bandra Reclamation homeless lady is dead but both gave their pocket money to her , and I dont shoot Marziya .. but these were casual shots I took.. now Marziya recites Nohas , knows to cook chapattis and takes care of Zinnia and Nerjis ..Both Nerjis and Marziya love water colors and Doremon..

Every year they wait for Marc De Cler or Glenn and the greatness of these photographers has rubbed off on them as humility .. of being able to see what others cant see .. the unknown zone of mystical zone of bringing to life ,,, what was unexposed .. on the human consciousness .

Mr Shreekanth Malushte one of my Gurus has been the guiding force on both my talented grand daughters .. but I must hastily add though I have not instilled photography manically on my third grand daughter Zinnia Fatima she can shoot pictures to...

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

1. A stunt in which one spins the cylinder of a revolver loaded with only one bullet, aims the muzzle at one's head, and pulls the trigger. 2. An act of reckless bravado.

Russian Roulette pictures within pictures stories from my head words encrypted decodedin the spiders net google searching for Marziya on the internet at Flickr a story board a set a two day old baby her journey you wont forget changingthe course of my life forever in her debt no tear of regret

Flowerhorn Breeding Tips to Improve PerformanceThere are countless flowerhorn breeding tips and techniques, but only a few of them really matters. In this article, let us limit our discussion to the top five flowerhorn breeding tips. They are the following:

1. Use High Quality Parent FlowerhornsIf you want high quality results, it is logical that you should use the best materials you can find. Do not fall into the trap of breeding low quality flowerhorns expecting that high quality fry will come out of it. If you want to breed for fun, you may use average quality breeders. However, if you are really serious in producing high quality flowerhorns, invest in high quality breeders.

2. Properly Prepare Your Flowerhorn BreedersThis flowerhorn breeding tip significantly improves hatching rate. Be sure to allow at least 15 days before you introduce your breeders to each other. During that time, feed them frequently in small portions.After the breeding program, allow your flowerhorns some time off before you breed them again. More details flowerhorn breeding preparation.

3. Use the Appropriate Tank Size for BreedingFlowerhorns become more aggressive when mating. To reduce the risk of injury, provide them enough room. I recommend using a 50-gallon tank as a minimum requirement. If you have a 4-feet tank (around 70 gallons in capacity), use it. More tips of tank sizes.

4. Properly Cull Your FryMost inexperienced flowerhorn breeders are puzzled how successful ones manage to produce only high quality output. The secret may just be that they do not show you the undesirable ones.For an average fry population of 1,000, I would say that only around 50 (5%) of those are good quality. When the fry community is two months old, I normally would have culled half of them already. Before they reach 3 months old, you could no longer see any low quality flowerhorn in my tanks.

5. Never Give UpIt is seldom that a newbie breeder succeeds on his first try. If you think you have done everything to ensure success, it would not be long before you are rewarded. It could be just that your breeders were not yet ready. Just keep on going.

Flowerhorn breeding is not an innate talent nor is it mystical; it is a skill developed through persistence. Incidentally, it is also a very fulfilling activity for hardcore hobbyists. Good luck!

In this article, you will find proven breeding tips for an overaggressive flowerhorn fish.

Flowerhorn cichlids are especially aggressive when they breed. However, there are steps you can do to reduce or manage that aggression.

1. Properly prepare your flowerhorn breeding couple.

2. Let the breeders live together in a single tank divided by a clear glass or acrylic for a long time; up to 2 month or more if needed. This allows both to become familiar with each other.

3. Feed both breeders to satiation when removing the divider to check if they can already live together without it. Hungry breeders are naturally more aggressive. Place the divider back when they start fighting.

4. Lip locking is not kissing. It is fighting. Separate them.

5. More often, the female is the aggressor especially when the male is not that big. Rule of the thumb is that an aggressive female cichlid should not exceed half the size of the male.

6. Breeding flowerhorn fishes that are both overaggressive is twice as hard. Choosing a more docile breeding partner for an aggressive breeder may just solve your problem instantly.

7. Keep breeding tank away from people. You may also cover the sides of tank with old newspaper to keep the breeders from being distracted when people pass.

8. Turn aquarium light a bit dimmer. It may help them calm down.

Flowerhorn Breeding Tips - the No Contact TechniqueYes, you can naturally breed louhans even without letting them touch each other. Here are the steps:

1. Raise the clear glass divider a bit higher, around 1.5 inches from tank bottom, so that you are able to slip through the space below a tile large enough for the breeders to share. A 12”x12” floor tile placed upside down should suffice.

2. Attach air stones on each side of the glass divider so that there is running water near the tile. This makes the tile the ideal spot for laying the eggs. When you notice the female cleaning her part of the tile, you have done this step successfully. The male should also be cleaning his part.

3. When you think the female is already ready for to lay her eggs, keep an eye on them.

4. When the female starts laying her eggs, let her deposit the eggs on top of the tile for about 15 minutes.

5. After she has already laid some of her eggs, slowly turn the tile so that the male could start spraying his milt into them. To turn the tile around safely, keep the male breeder restricted in a corner using a fish net while performing this step. Use your other hand to turn the tile slowly. The female may attack the glass divider, but your hand will be safe.

6. Continue doing this until the female has stopped laying her eggs.

7. Remove the tile and artificially hatch the flowerhorn eggs. You may also choose to let the female breeder care for the eggs until they hatch.

Breeding louhans can be risky and may cost you your breeders when not done correctly. Read more flowerhorn breeding tips and guides for additional information on how to keep your fishes safe

The Flowerhorn is a very hardy fish and is relative easy to rear. However, there are also certain techniques and measures to take if you want the best quality out of your fish. No fish can survive in captivation without some control over the environment on the owner's part.

Basic Environmental Control

Water Temperature

The Flowerhorn fish is able to thrive best in water of tropical temperatures, ranging from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius. The optimum temperature would be between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius. It is advised that you maintain the optimum water temperature when keeping a baby or premature fry.

pH Levels

Flowerhorn fish can survive in water with a neutral pH value of 6-8. Similarly, it is advised that the pH is maintained at 6.5-7.2 when keeping premature fish. Changing the water of the tank regularly once a week is a good way to maintain pH stabitlity. If you are unwilling to change the water so often, you can also mix some crushed coral with the gravel. This will help to prevent any drastic fluctuations in pH levels, which will be detrimental to the fish. If you have the right apparatus, it would also help to check the pH of the water regularly.

Change of Water

Overly clear or clean water is also not necessarily the best for the fish, as it is of course difficult to maintain, and more importantly clear water from the tab is treated with chlorine and other minerals which are not too good for the fish. It is therefore advised that when changing the water, it is better not to change all the water, but leave a little bit of "dirty" water in the tank. Changing all the water at once will also cause too drastic a change in the fish's environment, giving stress to the fish to adapt to a new environment all over again. It would also be difficult as changing all the water in the tank would involve getting the Flowerhorn out of water, and being the aggressive and active fish that it is, it would be difficult to simply hold it on a small net for a while. It would probably jump out, or even attack the owner.

Cleaning and Filtration Systems

It is essential to have an efficient filtration system when keeping any fish in a fish tank, or the fish's waste or the fish food will contaminate the water, causing it to be very murky and dirty. The filter should be cleaned regularly. Some people keep sucker fish in the tank together with the other fish because the sucker fish is known to be able to feed on the fish's waste and algae, serving as a good cleaning agent. This is not applicable however when keeping a territorial and aggressive Flowerhorn Fish, as the sucker would probably end up being killed, or even eaten as it is a relatively small fish. It is therefore inevitable that you have to spend time brushing and cleaning the tank frequently if you wish to keep a Flowerhorn. Filtration systems are in no way functional as a substitute for water changing, as too much waste will eventually clog up the filters, and not all waste particles can actually be filtered. They are also unable to filter up the waste and algae that sticks to the sides of the tank, so it is very important that the water is changed and the sides of the tank are cleaned and brushed regularly.

Oxygen Pumps and Water Flow

Oxygen pumps are also essential to the well-being of any fish kept in a tank, as this will replenish the dissolved oxygen in the water. The pumping of air into the water will also cause mild currents and keep the water flowing, preventing uneven distribution of water temperature oxygen concentration. Water must also be flowing in order for the filtration systems to work.

Salt and its Benefits

Salt is good as a stabilizer of sorts. It helps maintain water conditions and keep the fish healthy by acting as a disinfectant and killing some parasites in the water. Also, although the Flowerhorn is a freshwater fish, even freshwater ponds and rivers have a certain concentration of salt, thus adding a little bit of salt in the water also helps to make the fish feel "at home". A "little bit" would mean one or two teaspoons, too much salt will also kill the fish!

Background Pictures or Fake Plants in the Water

This will also help to make the Flowerhorn feel that the environment in the tank is more similar to its natural habitat. Contrary to belief, fake rather than real plants are better for the fish because real plants are hard to maintain without extreme care, and should the plants end up dying, they will contaminate the water. Some people think that plants will actually help to convert carbon dioxide in the water to oxygen. Although the plants may seem helpful in this sense, you need a lot of plants to produce enough oxygen to replace an air pump, and as mentioned above, air pumps are more useful in creating mild water currents. Fake plants and background pictures will also help to decorate the tank and complement the appearance of the fish.

Feeding

How often the fish should be fed

The Flowerhorn fish has a voracious appetite. There are no so called "optimum" times when it should be fed, but it is advisable to feed the fish in small amounts spread over a period of time every day.

Live Feed

The Flowerhorn is more carnivorous in nature and prefers meat or live feed. This includes small fish and shrimps. Blood worms and mealworms are exceptionally popular feed sold in Singaporean aquarium shops. Some of these insects are even enhanced with chemicals like colour enhancers to increase their size and nutritional value. Some of them are said to be able to brighten the colours of the fish, increase the size of its nuchal hump etc. It can feed on either fish feed or live feed.

Processed Fish Food

Processed pellet feed that is high in protein is recommended to be used together with other live feed, as they also contain colour enhances and other chemicals that are meant to be perfect for tank fish. It is not advisable to replace live feed with such foods however, as overdose of the different chemicals in the food will be harmful to the fish. A balance between natural live feed and fish food should be maintained.

Other Tips and Techniques

Keeping Multiple Fish

The Flowerhorn fish is aggressive and territorial in nature, and it is not advisable to keep another fish with it. If you wish to keep two fish in the same tank however, it is a must to partition the tank to prevent the fish from fighting or killing each other. This technique is useful should you intend to breed some baby Flowerhorn. Keeping a male and female Flowerhorn in the same tank separated only by a transparent plastic partition will allow the two fish to be more accustomed with each other, before removing the partition for more intimate contact.

Mirrors

Flowerhorns show their best colours when agitated. When the Flowerhorn sees its reflection in a mirror, it will also be agitated and look its best. Putting mirrors and colourful images in the tank is actually a technique used by competition breeders so that they get the best quality from their fish and increase their chances of winning a competition.